Fourth fireworks canceled for 2003

Jenny Marder

The fireworks flame was briefly sparked and then just as quickly

extinguished when the City Council narrowly voted Tuesday to cancel

plans for what would have been the second-largest fireworks show in

the country.

After a series of impassioned speeches, the council voted 4-3 to

cancel the fireworks display this Fourth of July, rather than hold it

at the beach. Council members Gil Coerper, Cathy Green and Dave

Sullivan strongly opposed the idea of relocating the fireworks to the

beach due to potential health and safety concerns and Council members

Debbie Cook, Pam Julien Houchen and Jill Hardy were in favor. The

split vote was decided by Mayor Connie Boardman who cast the final

vote against this year’s show.

“We’ve finally gotten rid of all the news stories of riots in

Huntington Beach on the fourth,” Green said. “It would just take one

incident, and we’ve got the reputation back.”

The Fourth of July Commission has been asked to put present plans

aside and instead begin planning for the 100th anniversary in 2004.

Alternatives to the beach site were lacking. The Huntington Beach

High School stadium, where fireworks have been held for more than 20

years, will be unavailable due to renovation. Marina High School was

considered, but not recommended because of limited parking, absence

of fencing and bleachers and cost concerns.

Central Park West, Golden West College and Boeing were also

considered but not pursued.

Relocating the fireworks show to the beach would have made it the

second-largest fireworks show in the country after New York, and the

largest on the West Coast, according Fourth of July Commission member

Margie Bunten.

The idea would have featured fireworks shot from a barge stationed

offshore, south of the pier and north of Beach Boulevard, accompanied

by a patriotic pre-show concert at Pier Plaza.

The Downtown parking structure and beach parking combined would

provide 2,765 spaces, and 40 police officers would need to be

stationed on site, police estimated. The costs, estimated at $86,150,

would need to be fund-raised by May 16. That total included $15,000

for leasing the barge, $18,000 for fireworks and $44,150 to fund

police.

Those in favor of the project were overwhelmed by others who

feared a repeat of civil unrest that took place Downtown in year’s

past. Festivities in the mid-1990s spun out of control year after

year as patriotic celebrations gave way to couch burnings, illegal

fireworks and injuries from flying bottles and swinging police

batons. News stations used to flock to Surf City every Fourth of July

anticipating mayhem.

Coerper was doubtful that 40 police officers could control the

estimated 20,000 spectators who might attend.

Sullivan expressed concern that the beach environment would

encourage illegal drinking and compound potential problems.

“We are basing so much of the future of this city on excessive

overnight tourism,” he said. “The downside is just going backward to

where we were before. This is not, in my view, worth the risk in

potentially having that happen again.”

Other council members thought safety concerns were outdated and

underestimated the ability of police officers to control the crowd.

“We can’t live in fear of the past forever,” Houchen said. “I

think the tone in Huntington Beach has changed. I think the police

chief has experience dealing with fireworks on the beach. I would

hope that we could move past the stigma that all bad guys come to the

beach the Fourth of July.”

Those in favor were sorely disappointed.

“We have the opportunity to have an event that would be really

special,” Hardy agreed. “The police have said we could handle it, and

I’d like us to try.”

Boardman swayed the vote away from the beach, saying she believed

the risks outweighed the benefits.

Planning for the 2004 celebration will begin immediately.

* JENNY MARDER covers City Hall. She can be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at jenny.marder@latimes.com.